Requirements to Practice Pharmacy

You must have a state-issued license to practice pharmacy.

Licenses are granted by state boards of pharmacy after the applicant has successfully passed the examinations administered by the board. The Kansas State Board of Pharmacy requires graduates of schools of pharmacy to indicate any current, pending or previous convictions, fines, violations or disciplinary action that may affect their eligibility for taking the licensing exam. Pharmacists may generally transfer their licenses from a state in which they completed the entire examination to another state, provided the two states had similar practical experience requirements at the time the pharmacist was licensed by examination. Most pharmacists find it useful to maintain a license in a state where they were licensed by examination. By so doing, eligibility to transfer or reciprocate to another state is preserved.

The Kansas State Board of Pharmacy requires completion of an appropriate degree from an accredited school of pharmacy plus 1,500 hours of practical experience in pharmacy. The School provides 1440 of those hours in the curriculum. Students should compile an official record of pharmacy experience obtained on their own initiative by registering as an intern with the board as soon as they are accepted into the School of Pharmacy. This will be the source of the remaining 60 hours needed for license eligibility.

Although such records are not required for Kansas, they may be needed in states that have a greater practical experience requirement. Such practical experience may also be gained by working as a licensed pharmacist in Kansas, then transferring the hours to another state.

Licenses in Kansas are renewed every two years by payment of the required fee and completion of the required 30 clock hours of continuing education.